Best uses for small witch elf units?

[Tomcowlin]

Like to see what people thought of the small witch elf units being thrown around. I'd like to field 7 with a musician and champ, there's a cauldron in my list too. What kind of roles can this unit play?

Tom out!

[Meteor]

The main problem I find with running them isn't because they're small or anything like that. It's the space they take up on your board, it's an extra obstacle for your other troops to maneuver around, or for it to maneuver around when it's so wide. You normally wouldn't want to spread your troops out too far, becomes harder to support, probably ends up out of range of the general and/or BSB.

In terms of use, they'd be a nasty speed bump for me, they're normally too wide for a flank charge, enemy infantry would need to be 5 deep at least, to maximise their potential. And deep isn't something I see all too often on my side here, everyone tends to stay at 7th ed sizes or go to big fat 10 wide horde mode. Only a couple of experienced players actually go 5 deep or deeper.

[Rabidnid]

I have run small units of 5 to 7, but ended up going for 10 and then 14. The girls are very capable killers. I use them as my primary damage producers and have around 50 models now who operate in units of at least 12-14.

A muso and banner are my usual additions, with champs now being too easy to kill.

I used my 5 to 7 strong units in 7th in columns to avoid getting in the way. They were just too small, but if you have a job for completely throwaway units then their are useful being frenzied and cheaper than harpies. With initiative 6 they will also beat the snot out of most charging light cav

[Jbtheslipperking]

If you go small we units then go small. 2-3 units of 5 maby with mus. Iv been thinking of using them myself, but can`t seem to find the points after building the rest of the list. Tried once in a friendly game and they are suprisingly effective against small units and warmashines. They will ofc get shot to pieces easily, but then the opponent has to waste a turn with his shooters on this 50p unit. Even experienced oppoent tends to underestimate them due to the tiny size and then those 15 atacks with reroll and poison is somewhat an unpleasant surprice. And it can give you a tactical advantage in the deployment.

[Cat-the-odd]

Hi,

I'm testing the Hexbomb in my games right now (thread). It's the 6 WE without additions to achieve a good points/gain ratio. I used them as Throwaway troops to do causalities to units I did not want to shoot/laser in early turns, guaranteeing a (often drastically) downsized enemy unit.

They excel at gobiln type infantery, naturally, and will usually win the first mellee. However steadfast negates the CR and you're stuck to the next turn with usually 2 witches remainig. Now the enemy cannot move and will kill the witches, denying the pursuit move.

It worked on:
Ghouls (Well the CR makes them cumble -> double effect)
Zombies (no surprise here)
Goblins (out of generals and BSB range, they ran)
2xSkaveslaves (I downzized them drastically from 35 to about 18 each)

Next test will be not head-on, but rather a flanking role, for killy Attacks and static CR from the core troops & denying maneuverability to the enemy.

CATR

[Vulcan]

Is it really worthwhile to put a musician on such a small unit of Witches?

I mean, you're not going to be needing that free reform unless you do something strange like deploy in columns... Avoid that trap and use the points somewhere else.

And let's face it, they get one round of combat and then they are dead. Rallying isn't likely to be necessary.

[Dyvim tvar]

A small unit of witch elves is perfect for keeping a copy of your army list from blowing away in a slight breeze.

[Vulcan]

So long as you are using the metals and not converted Wytches...

[Nellamik]

I am buying 10 WE's with FC tomorrow so I haven't used them yet.
What would be a good Banner and gift of Khaine for a 10 WE unit.

[Vulcan]

Depends a lot on the rest of the army list - a WHOLE lot.

For such a small unit, your best upgrades might come from outside the unit - say, Cauldron and Sorceress augments. That way they can still augment other stuff, once the 10 witches do their thing and get wiped out.

Since I would field it 10-wide as a screen, a suicide hex-bomb, or as a way to whittle off a rank or two from an enemy unit before the main combat, I don't think I would bother with HQ at all, much less magic banners or gifts unless I had some points to burn once my army list was complete.

On a larger unit, the Banner of Murder is a good option - anything that cuts down on an enemy's armor save is a good thing. The banner that gives flaming attacks is nice if you are going to specifically take on a target with regeneration (thinking about it, this is about the only upgrade I would consider giving a small unit - assuming I was anticipating sending them against a Hydra or some such beastie). For the Hag, the extra attacks are nice, as is manbane. But nothing, nothing upgrades their performance quite like the Mindrazor. S8 on witches? Yikes!

[Brad]

I'm hesitant about a banner on such a small unit. It seems - on paper at least - to be some fairly easy VP for your opponent.

[Valkyre]

no upgrades on them, just use 6 naked witches instead.

and dont necessary deploy them 6 wide as well, they do not lose out much on 3x2 (ok, 6 Attacks) but will not be a handicap in deployment or manouvring then. just deploy them as you have the space for them (3x2, 4/2, 5/1. 6/0, whatever.

see them as disposable char killers, flankers, redirectors that cannot be ignored and dont worry when they do not survive.